Gerald Shurson delivers 2026 Phillip A. Maxwell Keynote Address
Gerald (Jerry) Shurson, PhD, presented the Department of Animal Sciences’ 2026 Phillip A. Maxwell Keynote Address on April 9, bringing together students, faculty and staff from the department and the College of Agriculture for discussions on the future of animal agriculture.
Shurson is a professor in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota, and he leads an interdisciplinary research program focused on swine nutrition, feed safety, sustainability and circular food systems. He has worked with researchers and industry professionals around the world and has mentored over 90 graduate students and scholars throughout his career.
During his visit, Shurson spoke to students, faculty and staff through both a keynote address and a follow-up workshop.
His keynote, titled “The Future of Animal Agriculture and the Urgent Need for Transitioning to Sustainable, One Health and Circular Food Animal Production Systems,” explored the challenges facing modern food production systems and the need to shift toward more sustainable, circular and One Health–driven approaches.
Gerald (Jerry) Shurson, PhD, speaks on sustainability and the future of animal agriculture during the 2026 Phillip A. Maxwell Keynote Address. Shurson discussed the importance of improving current production practices to address future challenges in food systems.
“We need to change our behavior — how we produce meat, milk and eggs, how we use and manage our natural resources,” Shurson said. “If we don’t start changing the way we do things, we’re probably going to run into real problems with food security.”
Shurson also highlighted the importance of collaboration in addressing complex challenges.
Following the keynote, Shurson met with graduate students and faculty for a workshop, which extended discussion beyond the lecture and encouraged more in-depth conversations.
Throughout his visit, Shurson also shared advice with students on broadening their perspectives.
“Get out of your comfort zone,” Shurson said. “Take a trip to another country. Read books that you don’t think you would ever have any interest in — something to give you a different perspective. If you try to expand your world, you start experiencing and thinking about things in different ways.”
Shurson also emphasized the importance of lifelong learning and building strong professional networks, encouraging students to continue developing both personally and professionally throughout their careers.
The Phillip A. Maxwell Endowment supports the annual keynote, which brings internationally recognized experts in cutting-edge areas of animal sciences to Purdue. The keynote continues to provide students and faculty with valuable perspectives on animal agriculture.
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